S&D Railway Trust

Really, 23 became 47314, which was cut up at Wards Beighton in 1967.

 

I think 47327 was repainted as part of a sponsorship deal with someone like Bachmann?

 

One or the other, it’s been a while!

 

Between December 1928 and February 1929 the Somerset & Dorset took delivery of seven locomotives to the design of the LMS standard shunting tanks from Messrs W.G.Bagnall, thereby accounting for their acquisition of the soubriquet 'Bagnall' (rather than 'Jinty' or the like) on the Dorset. The original intention was for these locomotives to be treated as mixed traffic engines, and for this reason they were fitted with vacum brake and steam heat equipment and constructed as screw reverse engines. It was not long before they began to be transferred away from the Dorset, two of them serving a spell at Plaistow, where they seem to have been so favourably received that 7310 to 7315 subsequently moved away to Devons Road to work services out of Broad Street. Ultimately the only Bagnall to return to the Dorset was 7316 which had come back to the line by September 1950 and remained on it until withdrawal in December 1962. I've wondered from time to time how well she was regarded by S&D crews, bearing in mind the relative inconvenience of screw reverse compared with lever reverse for banging wagons in and out of the sidings between Bath and Radstock.

 

FWIW one of 42798's slidebars was stamped S&D 25 IIRC.
Ray.

 

When working on the Jinty at the MHR back in the 80's I found 40 odd separate numbers stamped in the wheel sets and other bits.
Unfortunately with moves over time I lost the list.
All the number means is it was once carried by an engine which went for an overhaul and a part got removed and swapped for a refurbished one.

 

Of all the preserved jinties, 47493 is the only one that has a screw reverser.

 

Ironically the answer is on the forum - having gone into google it sent me back here

https://www.national-preservation.c...jr-no-23-midland-railway-9th-june-2013.68949/

But there you go, learn something every day and 23 is a ringer.

 

I was talking to a friend from the AVR last week and he commented on the curious fact that amongst the S&DRT artefacts now on show at the MHR are several items previously reported to be destined for display at Bitton, but no-one there seems to know why they have yet to arrive.

Similarly, it was reported some while ago that the NDR had rebuffed a request from the S&DRT to accommodate them after eviction, nevertheless various items have been sent there on loan, including the ex-Binegar crane (surely more appropriate for display/use at MSN?). Having spent years stored in the dry IIRC, it was seen recently lying on a wagon at Shillingstone just covered by a tarpaulin, apparently destined ultimately to be erected on the loading dock - but when?

 

Late Summer Update • S&DRT (sdrt.org)

Another excellent update from Chris Ruddick, Project Manager

 

Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust

Chairman's message to members

Washford lease - September 2021

Dear John,

The Board of Directors feel it is appropriate, and timely, to update members on the negotiations which have been taking place for some time with the West Somerset Railway plc (WSR) regarding the Trust’s future at Washford.

The WSR issued a Notice to Quit to the Trust in February 2020 and since this date negotiations have been ongoing to secure agreement around an exit strategy acceptable to both parties.

From the outset the WSR had expressed the desire to acquire the fixed assets on site, namely the shed and associated trackwork. There were a number of avenues explored all involving, at the WSR’s suggestion, negotiating a new lease. During the initial period of negotiations, the WSR explained that they were not pursuing taking over the site for their own use (which was the original reason cited for issuing the Notice to Quit) nor had they the funds available to purchase the assets. However, a new lease, of sufficient length of tenure, would give them, and the Trust, more options. This made sense and the Trust entered negotiations accordingly, and in good faith.

The last 18 months of negotiations with the WSR Board have been fraught with changes of mind about the occupation at Washford or securing an agreement for a new shorter-term lease. Despite the Trust making many concessions over the period to accommodate the WSR’s position, their changing requirements have meant that the negotiations have been continuously extended and, thus far, unsuccessful.

At the forefront of the Trust’s attempts to secure agreement have been the core concerns outlined to the WSR namely:

• The protection of the assets at Washford in respect of the trackwork and buildings erected by the Trust during the period of the 40+ year lease.

• The WSR stating that they were interested in the assets and the options offered to the WSR included suitable periods of time for them to raise the finance to purchase the assets from the Trust, but this was rejected.

• With the outbreak of Covid and the impact on the operations of the WSR it was always promised that the Trust would be given ample time to decant and remove their assets from site in an orderly and efficient manner.

In the period running up to the last expiry of the Notice to Quit in August, the WSR representatives promised the Trust a lease would be agreed to cover these requirements and extend the tenancy for a suitable period (two years was discussed). At the last minute, such an offer was not forthcoming nor adequate extension made to the Notice period, and the Trust was left at risk.

As a result, the Trust have taken legal action to secure a lease for a short-term period of two years to allow adequate time to decant the site and efficiently relocate the assets for future use.

All members will be aware that the Trust’s Board have been working to protect the Trust’s assets from their relationship with the WSR. The first action was the relocation of locomotive 53808 to the Mid-Hants Railway and further rolling stock and equipment have also been decanted and removed from Washford to new locations with more due to leave in the near future.

This action has been necessary to protect the Trust’s assets for the reasons stated above as a result of the action by the WSR. The Trust Board are not prepared to let the fixed assets that members and donors have provided over the 40+ years of occupation fall into the hands of others without due compensation where that would be the appropriate solution. To reiterate, the WSR has indicated to the Trust that it does not have a short term need for Washford and that it does not have the finance available to purchase the assets.

The Trust notes that a statement in the WSR’s published accounts infers that the departure from Washford is being driven by the Trust’s review of its activities, resulting in a decision to relocate its museum items elsewhere. The truth is that the Trust has undertaken these actions as a necessary first step to protecting the Trust’s position and as a consequence, and only because of, the WSR’s prior action in issuing the Notice to Quit.

This was a wholly unwarranted situation from which, it would appear, there are no winners.

In the meantime, the Trust’s Board has written to the WSR’s Board to request that such a short-term lease be agreed between the parties to avoid the necessity of ending up in legal action.

We await the WSR’s response.

Ian Young, Chairman, on behalf of the Board of Directors,
Somerset & Dorset Railway Trust Ltd.

24 September 2021.

 

Extraordinary stuff.

 

Indeed. The WSR have finally admitted they have no intention to use the yard at Washford. So what was this eviction intended to achieve?

I think this finally ends any hopes of 53808 ever returning to the WSR.

 

I think you have to read the statement as "The WSR" have no intention of using the yard. There are other groups or 'companies' within the WSR Family that might be using the sheds/track/yard.

 

Only if they are willing to buy the track and buildings from the SDRT, according to that post.

 

I think this finally ends any hopes of 53808 ever returning to the WSR.